Coordinate Systems
Axis Order: Latitude/Longitude vs Longitude/Latitude
Summary
Axis order is the sequence in which coordinate values are written. EPSG defines EPSG:4326 as latitude then longitude, while GeoJSON, KML, WKT in most GIS software and PROJ’s traditional mode use longitude then latitude. Mixing them is one of the most common causes of points appearing in the wrong country.
Definition
Axis order: the order and direction of the axes of a coordinate reference system as defined by its authority.
- EPSG:4326 = lat, lon
- GeoJSON = lon, lat
- KML = lon, lat, alt
- Most projected CRSs = E, N
Who uses which order
| Format / API | Order |
|---|---|
| EPSG:4326 (authority definition) | latitude, longitude |
| OGC:CRS84 | longitude, latitude |
| GeoJSON (RFC 7946) | longitude, latitude |
| KML / KMZ | longitude, latitude, altitude |
| WMS 1.1.1 with EPSG:4326 | longitude, latitude |
| WMS 1.3.0 with EPSG:4326 | latitude, longitude |
| Most UTM / national grids | easting, northing |
| Some national grids (e.g. EPSG:2056 vs others) | check the definition |
How to detect swapped coordinates
- Latitude must be between −90 and 90; values above 90 in the “latitude” column are longitudes.
- Points plotting in the sea or in a mirror-image country.
- Saudi Arabia data appearing in the Indian Ocean near 46° S, 24° E.
GeoCAD Bridge’s engine rejects geographic input outside ±180/±90 and warns when values look reversed.
FAQ
Is GeoJSON latitude first?
No. GeoJSON is always longitude, latitude (and optional height).
Why does my WMS layer appear rotated or in the wrong place?
WMS 1.3.0 uses the EPSG axis order, so a bounding box for EPSG:4326 must be given latitude first.
Related tools and articles
Tools
- Coordinate TransformationConvert between EPSG coordinate systems.
- Batch Coordinate ConverterTransform CSV or Excel point lists.
Articles
- EPSG:4326 (WGS 84 Latitude/Longitude)EPSG:4326 is the WGS 84 geographic coordinate reference system with coordinates in decimal degrees. The EPSG d…
- WGS 84: World Geodetic System 1984WGS 84 is the global geodetic reference system used by GPS. It defines an ellipsoid (a = 6 378 137 m, 1/f = 29…
- Geographic CoordinatesReference topic
References
- IOGP. EPSG Geodetic Parameter Dataset, epsg.org.
- IETF. RFC 7946 The GeoJSON Format, 2016.
- OGC. Axis Order Policy Guidance, OGC 08-038r7.
- PROJ contributors. PROJ coordinate transformation software library, proj.org.
Cite this page
GeoCAD Bridge. “Axis Order: Latitude/Longitude vs Longitude/Latitude.” GeoCAD Bridge Knowledge Center, updated 2026-10-05. https://www.geocadbridge.com/knowledge/coordinate-systems-axis-order/